As the general principle of filmmaking goes, sometimes the projects you deserve are the ones you make yourself. There are certain artists – particularly actors – who find themselves typecast in parts that feel very limiting and one-dimensional, and it’s only through setting out to write their own material and get it produced that they…
Tag: review
Miss You, Love You (2026)
We’ve discussed grief so frequently around these parts that it almost feels as if there’s nothing more that can actually be said about it. However, this is less a case of it being a topic that has become far too saturated to actually evoke unique thought, and more a matter of the fact that it’s…
Storytelling (2001)
Some filmmakers set out to entertain, others to inform. The group I am often most fascinated by are those who somewhere adhere to both principles, as well as to neither at the same time, with their general impetus being primarily to shock and provoke, which can make for thrilling and genuinely daring viewing that is…
Don Jon (2013)
As easy (and perhaps even fun) as it may be to pick apart Don Jon, we really have to hand it to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who went out on a limb in his directorial debut and made a comedy that may be filled with imperfections, but compensates for it through some very interesting decisions made as…
The Last Supper (1995)
There is a general rule that we all are expected to follow when in the presence of proverbial “decent” company – never speak about politics, religion or sex while gathered around the dinner table, which many consider to be a sacred space in which conversation should be polite, congenial and pleasant. For the protagonists in…
If I Was Honest (1942)
While his name may be somewhat obscure to some, Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia is a vitally important figure in the history of Italian cinema, specifically if we are looking at a specific era in the nation’s artistic output. One of its most cherished figures in terms of comedy, Bragaglia was a fascinating individual, since his career…
The Wackness (2008)
There was a time when Jonathan Levine was one of the most exciting young directors working in the business – his ability to take on any project across multiple genres and infuse them with a signature style proved that he was one of the most intriguing artists at the time, being the perfect combination of…
Yes! (2025)
How do you write about the subject of satire without turning it into a history lesson on the origins of the art of lampooning culture and society to underline the hypocrisies and ironies that populate – if not outright define – everyday life? The truth is that it’s a fool’s errand, one that is usually…
Getting Any? (1994)
You cannot underestimate the lengths to which someone will go to satisfy their cravings, regardless of the specific desire and how they tend to be acquired. In the case of Getting Any? (Japanese: みんな～やってるか!), Takeshi Kitano asks similar questions and sets out to provide some answers in the process, which he does in the form…
The Listener (2022)
Many people warrant our admiration, especially those who put the centre of their careers, or even their entire lives, to serving others in one way or another. We all celebrate our first responders and those people who spend their time in the service of the community. However, there is a silent majority that remains almost…
The Postmodern Pelican 